Bitter Summer
by ArizonaBay
Summary: Daine and Numair have been split apart by their differing missions for several months. Daine realizes she's pregnant, but finishes her mission anyway. However, Numair has an accident, will he see his Magelet again?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own, Tamora Pierce does.

Summary: Set four years after realms of the gods. Daine Numair pairing of course!

Author Note: I've only ever read the Immortals series. I do know that she eventually gets pregnant and concedes to his sugary proposals :), but I'm not at all sure of the time line. So this could be considered AU if you're current on the cannon.

Also, it has been so long since I did a Tammy fic. Sesshomaru and Rin have, and for the most part still do, complete control of my muse.

The Bitter Summer

**************

"Urgh!" Daine whimpered as she vomited the contents of her stomach. The nausea and vertigo threatened her control on the wolf body she currently harbored. She was a modest sized wolf with a tawny coat. The deep forest she currently habituated wrapped long shadows around her contours, hiding her from even the most seasoned trackers. Alone in the Scanran mountains she wasn't due back to the palace for at least two more months.

Luckily the forest was completely empty this morning, leaving no trackers to catch her in a moment weakness. She was already two months into her mission. She was using her animal forms and the woods to travel from fortress to fortress accessing the enforcements. It was moments like this, in the early pre-dawn without even the chatter of the people, that she missed her lover the most.

Missed was probably an understatement, but the world needed them in two different places at the moment. Right now he was probably risking his life to defend Tortall with Thayet and Alanna. Her abilities on the other hand worked most favorably in acts of subterfuge. Besides that she hardly ever had to put the people at risk when she did such missions. The trick was not to get caught.

However, another wave of nausea hit Daine and she began to wonder if her luck was starting to turn. The nausea had started a month earlier and she hadn't had a monthly since before her mission started. She knew she was pregnant, two months along. However, she was determined to finish her mission.

"Numair will kill me when he finds out." Daine thought with a wince. Although she deeply regretted not being able to tell him, she couldn't jeopardize her usefulness. She'd be damned before they put her on house arrest for nine months.

"He better not make another fuss about getting married either." She thought grumpily as she tried to get the taste of vomit out of her mouth. He seemed content to leave their relationship as is lately, but she knew a child would change that presumption indefinitely.

"He'll be so happy." She thought with a contented sigh. Young and inexperienced she may be, however she wasn't stupid. Numair wasn't getting any younger. Most men his age had ten year old children. He earned the right to enjoy being a father before all his hair went gray.

"I've got to ruff this out yet." She decided as she began heading to her next fort for observations. "After this I'll stay home like a good knocked up girl." She chuckled lightly to herself as she followed her nose in a northeast direction.

***********

Two months later

"Your reports will help the troops tremendously, Daine. I'm also please to tell you the war on Alanna and Numair's side is going well." Jonathan said with a smile. Daine gave a sigh of relieve knowing her lover and friends were fairing well.

"That is the hardest thing about being out there; I'm cut off from everyone." She said with some wariness. Jonathan sat back, his blue eyes studying her for a moment.

"I could use a spy ahead of the front lines now." Jonathan said with a forced smile knowing the danger he was going to put her in. "You'd be reporting to Alanna, Thayet and Numair. You wouldn't be so alone." Daine gave a tired sigh and looked away. "You're not happy with this?" Jonathan asked bemused.

"I want more than anything to be out there giving my all for everything I love, but I don't believe it's in my best interest at the moment." Daine said trying to breech the subject with something that resembled finesse.

"I'm not following? Is something wrong?" Jonathan asked with a slightly worried tone. "In all the years I've known you, staying out of harms way hasn't been on your priority list." A small smile crept across his handsome features which were reciprocated by Daine. With a heavy sigh she looked at her King in the eye.

"I'm pregnant." She said a bit quieter than she intended. For a moment Jonathan stared at her with a blank face. However, just as quickly it was replaced with a genuine smile.

"Congratulations!" The sincerity in his voice made her blush nervously. "You're right, the war front is no place for you at the moment." His eyes twinkled with delight for the young woman. "My new order is to go home and take care of your new family." His mouth opened to say more then a slight blush spread across his cheeks.

"I mean I'm assuming the father is…" Daine cut him off.

"Numair!" Diane said a little too sharply.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to doubt you. But that would mean you're well on your way." Now he grew sharp with her. "You should have abandoned your mission when you realized it."

"Just to be coddled in my house all day?" Daine said stubbornly. Jonathan sighed knowing full well it was a futile argument.

"Well you're safe and you knew enough to quite now." His smile grew back on his face.

"I know I can't expect much, but do you know when I'll be able to see Numair again?" Daine asked with a saddened voice. She wanted to share the news with him so badly it hurt. The king's face fell a little at her question.

"I'll do my best to at least get him back for a visit." Jonathan's blue eyes were thinking quickly. "He obviously doesn't know or he would have dragged you back here kicking and screaming." Daine gave him a cocky grin. "The war has been going to our advantage, but it won't stay that way without him." A grim expression stole his features. "There are reinforcements going out tomorrow. Several seasoned mages are apart of them. I'll bring him home for a week." Jonathan's eyes seemed a bit remorseful. "I'm sorry I can't do better than that. I don't know when you'll be able to see him afterwards."

"Thank you so much!" Daine said joyfully. Without warning she moved around Jonathan's desk to hug him. With a chuckle he returned her hug, putting his hand on her stomach.

"Still barely showing, Thayet didn't start to really show till her sixth month on our first." He said with twinkling blue eyes. "Now go rest. I'll talk with Alanna later. This time next week he'll be with you."

**********

"Numair!" Alanna scolded with her hands on her hips. "Look at you! You're grayer than a whale! You're exhausting yourself!"

"I'll be fine. Besides have you taken a look in the mirror lately?" Numair said with a tired smile. "You don't look too good yourself." Alanna gave him a playful hit on the shoulder.

"However, I haven't gotten myself injured." Alanna said with a perturbed tone. Numair was sitting a cot in the healing tent. His shirt had been stripped off to reveal a deep gash on his back. His black mane was limp and disheveled, a clear sign he wasn't taking care of himself. Alanna was also looking exhausted with limp hair and dirt stained clothing. Dark circles hung under both their eyes.

"Now be a good patient and shut up." Alanna's purple eyes dared him to argue as she pushed him down on his belly.

"You know, I'm so glad you're not my wife." Numair muttered as she began to clean his wounds.

"When I see Daine I'll make sure to tell her to give you a punishing you won't enjoy." Alanna retorted as she continued to gingerly clean her friend's wounds.

"It burns…" Numair gasped as the cut on his back radiated pain throughout his body.

"We'll if you didn't get hit with a dirty piece of shrapnel from one of your own spells…" Alanna muttered darkly as the Mage began to wither. "Really! I can't be that bad."

"Please stop…" Numair whimpered as pain exploded throughout his body. Strange tingling and numbness bit at his toes. Alanna turned him over on his side to look at his face. She took one look at his twisted features and knew something was deeply wrong with her friend.

"Hang in there I'm going to look inside you and see if the shrapnel left something behind." Alanna said as she gently laid him back on his stomach. Closing her eyes, she let her gift flow into Numair. First she searched the wound itself, but found nothing extraordinary about it.

"Maybe it had poison on it." Alanna thought to herself as she delved deeper into his body, searching for the source of his pain.

"By the gods…" Alanna muttered as she came upon a something attacking his spine. The bottom of his spinal cord was clouded by something. It looked like a mass. However, it didn't respond to her attempts to cleanse it. Felling more fluid like than solid, Alanna had no idea what it was. She knew it had to be dealt with quickly to prevent any permanent damage.

"Numair?" Alanna asked fearfully. The mage groaned in response. "There is something attacking your spine. I need help from the other healers to contain it. Hang in there; I'll be back as soon as possible."

Alone Numair began to panic in his pain and fear. Suddenly Daine's image popped into his head and he wished more than anything she was with him. Their relationship was wonderful, but he wanted the security of matrimony. He wanted to pledge himself to her in front of everyone. But more than anything he wanted to settle down and start a family with her.

"Ahh!" He howled as a fresh wave of pain screamed throughout his body. The tingling started to move up to his ankles, leaving no feeling in his toes. Suddenly a horrible fear gripped his chest.

"What if I don't make it back to her?" He wondered to himself, too weak to voice his fears aloud. A cool hand soothed the skin of his neck.

"It's all right, I'm back." Alanna whispered tenderly as other healers began to examine him. "You're going to be okay; I brought the best of the best." She said with a small smile. In truth she was terrified for her friend. After several agonizing minutes the healers began to shake their head.

"It's not a typical mass." One of them finally said. "It's as if his system is attacking itself, it could have been triggered by the injury. His own immune system has gone a-wall."

"So, how do we fix it?" Alanna asked desperately as she stroked Numair's hair. Fear began to well up inside him once again as he listened to their grim voices.

"I've only seen it once before and no healer was able to do anything about it." The man said with heavy brown eyes, knowing the loss of this mage was particularly devastating to the war effort.

"So what is going to happen to him?" Alanna asked as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"It's seems to be moving aggressively." The man said shaking his hair and letting his blonde locks flutter over his face. He removed a pin from his jacket and jabbed it into Numair's heal.

"What are you doing?" Alanna said alarmed. However, Numair made no indication he noticed.

"He has no feeling in his feet." The healer said gravely. "Master Salmalin did you have sensation in your feet when you got here?" Numair shook his head in agreement.

"He walked himself here, no more than fifteen minutes ago." Alanna added.

"It's progressing very quickly then. The disease will continue moving up the spinal cord, affecting his entire body."

"I'll be paralyzed?" Numair chocked out between gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry, Master Salmalin." The man said with his grave voice. "But the paralysis will progress from your feet up your body. Eventually it will reach your lungs…" the man trailed off.

"You've done enough." Alanna whispered hoarsely with a wave of her hand towards the tent door. "Let me close the wound." Alanna said as she placed her hand on his back and began to stitch it together.

"How much time do I have?" Numair whispered with despair in his voice.

"I don't know, a few hours." Alanna said as she finished stitching his wound together. Carefully she helped him turn onto his back. "How is the pain."

"It's there." Numair replied though gritted teeth.

"Take this." Alanna said with a forced smile. She brought a small cup to his lips. "It will make you comfortable at least." Numair nodded and swallowed the bitter liquid. His whole world was falling apart without warning. He couldn't understand how such a mundane wound could trigger something so frightening.

"I wish I could see Daine." Numair's broken voice nearly made Alanna loose it. "Just one last time." The dieing mage looked away from Alanna as the possibilities for his life slipped away. "At least I'm not making a widow of her."

"Don't be ridiculous, no one will miss you more." Alanna retorted as tears broke away from purple depths.

"Make sure she moves on." Numair said with a heavy heart. He wanted to spend his life with her, he just hadn't counted on that life being so short. "I want her to have the things I'll never give her." He continued, the feeling of dread creeping into chest. He thought of what their life could have been like.

"Would she have married me?" He thought sadly to himself. "Would we have had children?" The last thought made a tear slip down his cheek.

"I promise you, we'll all be there for her. I'll personally see to it she's taken care of." Alanna said, her voice hitching at the end.

"If she doesn't get married and start a family some day I'll personally haunt you." Numair said trying to find the wits everyone loved. Alanna awarded him with a small smile. However, the thought of some other man courting his magelett put a whole new knife through his heart.

"One day when she joins me in the Black God's realm will she even want to see me?" He thought bitterly knowing she would want to spend the afterlife with her husband and children. "Am I destined to be alone?" The sad thought made his breath catch.

"Where is the paralysis at?" Alanna said alarmed at the irregular breathing pattern.

"My thighs." Numair said. Alanna pinched his upper thigh to check.

"Goddess, it's moving so quick." Alanna whispered, her spirt broken.

"At least I won't suffer for long." Numair said bitterly trying to think of the less bleak side of things. "I wonder what my life would have been like." Numair's broken plea tore a whole in Alanna.

"Happy, it would have been happy." Alanna said knowing it was the truth. "Why am I here? He needs Daine." She though sadly, wishing she could snap her fingers and produce his lover to comfort him.

"Do you think she would have given in to my proposals some day?" He asked with a small smile, somehow talking so lightly made his heart ache less.

"Of course, she loves you." Alanna said with forced merriness. She brought a cloth up to wipe the sweat off his brow.

"The woman is so stubborn, I can't imagine her pregnant." Numair said as a dry chuckle escaped his lips followed by a fresh set of tears. "I can't move my arms… I can't feel my stomach." He whispered as the inevitableness of his death set in. His chest began to feel like someone was stretching rubber bands over it.

"No…" Alanna thought horrified as she tested his arms and torso for sensation. "Your breathing?"

"Hard." Numair wheezed as his chest seemed to tighten. Out of words Alanna sat beside him. She continued to stroke his hair knowing he couldn't feel her hold his hand. It was the least she could do to comfort her friend in Daine's absence. Numair too seemed out of words.

Images of his time with Daine flashed through his mind as his breaths became more ragged. He was thankful for the love the God's let him have. Still… images of the life he wanted flashed across his soul. The family he'd never have hung over his mind like a spiteful shadow.

"I'm here for you." Alanna murmured as she whipped his tears away with a cool cloth. The rubber bands on his chest were getting tighter, his breaths more painful as the seconds ticked by.

"Tell her I love her…" Numair's fading voice begged between gasps.

"I won't let you down." Her words barely made it to his fading mind. Slow asphyxiation was eating away at his conscience. Unable to keep his eyes open he put his sole effort into breathing and final vain attempts to fight.

"Goddess bless…" Alanna murmered as his chest heaved unevenly and fell. She held her breath for a moment waiting for it to rise again. After a long minute she searched for a pulse, finding none. With a sudden burst of rage Alanna turned her face towards the ceiling of the tent.

"He wasn't ready!" She spat bitterly. "People need him!" Tears broke out yet again and she crumbled over her dead friend's chest in grief. She wasn't sure how long her grief consumed her, a few minutes, perhaps an hour. It took the persistence of a messenger to pull her off of Numair's chest.

"I'm sorry Lady Knight, but the King is awaiting your report." The brave boy informed her. Alanna gave a silent nod.

"I'll be right there." Alanna said emotionlessly as she picked up a sheet, draping it over his long body. Slowly, agonizingly she moved out of the tent. Giving a grave digger a nod, a silent order, she made her way to her own tent. There she found her speaking stone glowing, her King waiting for her news.

"I'm here Jonathan." Alanna said forlornly.

"Great, the reinforcements we discussed are ready to leave tomorrow." Jonathan said with enthusiasm. "But what I need to know is how far we've been able to push the scanrans back in the last couple of weeks." His voice turned stern, as kingly as Jonathan could ever seem to muster around her.

"Jonathan… Numair he…" Alanna stumbled not ready to say the words.

"How is he? I'm afraid I want him to come home for about a week once the recruits get there. I hope that won't leave us weak." At his request, Alanna's composure broke.

"I'm afraid he won't be making that trip." Alanna's broken voice took Jonathan off guard.

"Did the war turn?" Jonathan asked gravely. "I'm trying to give him a moment with Daine. Goddess knows our friends disserve it." He heard Alanna take a deep breath, preparing herself.

"Numair passed away." Alanna said as evenly as she could. She was greeted with silence as the news sunk in.

"When?" Jonathan asked with a haunting chill.

"About an hour ago." Alanna's voice broke with every word. "It was really unexpected, he suffered a great deal." She whispered through tears.

"This is the most unfortunate news." Jonathan began uneasily. "You see, Daine is pregnant."

"I'll send Onua home to see her." Alanna commented sadly. "His body would never make the trip, it's a hot summer with even worse humidity… I don't want her to see his body in that condition."

"Agreed, take care of the burial. Onua and I will help Daine with a funeral here." Jonathan's voice dropped with grief. "Now I suppose I'm the one to tell her."

"I wish I could be there for her." Alanna murmured apathetically.

"I'll report in tomorrow for the news I originally intended to get. Right now take care of our friend's body… I'll take care of Daine." Jonathan's tone turned more orderly, then the stone's glow faded. Alanna moved silently out of the tent. Now that she thought about it properly, she didn't want some unnamed grave digger tending to Numair. The sun bit down on her sun burnt shoulders causing another wave of bitterness. She turned her sullen eyes to the sun with a frown.

"Such a bitter summer." She accused the Gods and set about her unhappy task.

******

Please Review! I adore Reviews!

Also let me know if you want another chapter. I could do one more chapter dealing with Daine's cooping and perhaps Numair's thoughts while in the Black God's Realm.

This was quickly written and I just really wanted to publish, so If you find any typos that are exceedingly obnoxious let me know and I'll fix em.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all the reviews! Lol, and I realize this isn't typical Tammy style. I wasn't really trying, just letting my muse have some fun. Also, sorry for taking so long. My husband did a full reinstall of the computer, but somehow didn't think Microsoft Word was worth his effort… I about killed him.

Enjoy, this concludes the story.

Chapter 2:

Jonathan sat in his study lost in the hurricane of his thoughts. The unforgiving thud at his temples was ripping his head apart. Numair's death put a big whole in his war strategy. There were several powerful mages Numair was tutoring, but they lacked real experience. However, in the wake of his death those mages would have to pick up Numair's weight. Unfortunately a whole in politics wasn't the only sphere of life feeling Numair's absence.

The personal hole his death left was exceptionally tricky to begin navigating. While Numair had been a close personal friend to Jonathan, he had also been an indispensable companion to many of Tortall's advisors.

Alanna and Onua were the ones who discovered the starving mage on the streets. They picked him up and introduced him to his new home. He quickly became an asset to the country. Then Daine came into the picture. Their relationship may have developed slowly, but its power was unmatched.

"How am I going to tell her?" Jonathan groaned as his temples throbbed harder.

"Tell who what?" Daine's pleasant voice spilled into his thoughts. He looked up to see her standing in front of his desk. She had changed into fresh clothing and her general appearance seemed refreshed.

"How long has it since…" Jonathan was cut off.

"It's supper time." Daine retorted as she folded her arms. "You need to get out more." She accused. However, Jonathan's composure didn't improve like the young woman had hoped.

"I talked with Alanna." He said, unable to meet her eyes.

"He's not coming home is her?" Daine's voice and demeanor fell watching him shake his head in response.

"Sometimes things go unexpectedly." Jonathan began. "But we can't let those things destroy us or expose us." His words held allusions Daine knew she wasn't getting, but tried to follow none the less. "Sometimes the only thing we can do is be thankful for what we have and move on."

"For Mithro's sake what is it?" Daine said a bit perturbed at Jonathan's words. Her hands had found her hips and her stubborn frown stared the king down.

"Numair is never coming home." His words were strong, but did not conceal the grief that etched itself into each syllable. In an instant Daine's complexion transformed to disbelief.

"What do you mean? He abandoned us?" Obviously the more permanent reason refused to enter her mind. Jonathan shook his head gently, allowing his blue eyes to find hers. The tears welling up took him off guard.

"Life abandoned him." A lump rose in his throat as he watched Daine's reality crumble around her. "Today, not long after we spoke, he died." At those words Jonathan found himself unable to hold her gaze and allowed his eyes to drift toward his desktop. For a long moment the only sound was the small thud of tears hitting the stone floor beneath her. Neither was party willing to break the strangely comfortable silence.

"He'll never know." Daine said wiping tears from her eyes as her unsteady body found a gaudily embroidered chair to sit on. Her hand had unwillingly found her stomach.

"He'll find out. I'm sure of it." Jonathan tried to reassure her. "Your parents could visit him and let him know…" He trailed off feeling bitter. Daine shook her head.

"They visit Grandpa because that was part of the deal when Ma became a Goddess." Daine's expression was contorted between grief and denial. "When they visit next I'll find out if there's any way…" Tears threatened to overtake her as reality began to set in.

"We are all here for you. Onua will be coming home to help you through this." Daine nodded knowing she needed someone's shoulder to lean on.

"My baby is going to be a bastard." Daine's statement was bitter and complete. Her eyes stared rudely at the stone floor while her mouth twisted into a taught frown. "Just like me."

"You know none of us will see the child that way." Jonathan's tone was sincere. "As long as you're with us the child will never be limited. Not in the way you were growing up." However, sobs began to take over the young woman's body. Her face fell into her open palms.

"But the whispers will still be there." Daine's words were nearly incomprehensible through her grieving.

"You had it a hundred times worse than your baby ever will. In the end they never broke you." His words tried to sooth her as the reality of single motherhood ate away at her.

"How will I live without him?" Daine's soft words barely made it to Jonathan's ears. "I never imagined raising a family without him. I don't know how to begin."

"We'll give you whatever support you need. Please don't ever feel like you're alone." Jonathan said carefully. He was a bit relieved to she wasn't going to turn into a suicidal star crossed lover. Instead her instincts worried more about her child. He supposed it was the most constructive way for her to grieve.

"You're right, I'll never be alone." Daine said with a soft smile. Her hand rubbed a gentle circle over the baby nestled inside her womb.

********

60 years later

Daine lay in a bed coughing up blood. Her gray curls were matted in sweat, her skin hung off her bones and her once sparkling eyes had a milky veneer. She knew she was finally on her death bed as she gave a fleeting glance around her room. It was modestly decorated with pictures and heirlooms. Shakily she tried to sit up to look out her window.

"Ma, please don't stress yourself." Her son's voice pleaded from her side. She looked into his face and smiled. Although he was fifty nine, with a wife and three grown children, he always made sure his mother was never left alone.

"Rikash, shouldn't you be helping your wife or finding out what boys your daughters are canoodling with? I'd pity those boys; your girls will drive them crazy." A smile spread across his beautiful face as he held her hand. It was times like these that his father came out in his features. From his long nose to his swarthy skin, height and thick black hair he resembled Numair. He even had his father's gift, becoming a second generation black mage. However, his eyes were a deep bluish gray like his mother's.

"And leave my mother all alone?" He asked like it was a stupid question. Daine smiled, somehow it had become an unspoken rule for them. Rikash understood at an early age that his presence kept his mother's sanity in place.

"You've been a good son, keeping me together all these years. But soon someone else will be keeping me company." Daine said, perhaps a little too lightly considering the subject was her own mortality. A sad smile spread across her son's face. He loved her dearly, but she knew he would be fine without her. He had a beautiful family to keep him occupied.

"Tell Da if he doesn't take care of you I'll turn him into a tree when I get there." Rikash smiled knowing his mother's death wasn't such a sad thing. He knew she would be with his father, someone her heart never stopped crying over.

"I've got so much to tell him." Daine's pale lips lifted up and brightened her withering complexion. The truth was her parents were unable to contact him and the Black God did not see her request as anything but ordinary and annoying. Even the dream king was useless since the dead do not dream.

"I just hope I've taught Sara enough." Daine thought dryly. Her youngest granddaughter was much like her. The moment she was born Daine could see the immense wild magic she possessed. Rikash's smile broadened.

"You've taught her everything she needs. She'll be fine." Rikash assured her. Suddenly Daine fell into a horrible coughing fit. "Ma?" Rikash asked alarmed. Daine's entire body shook as the coughing ravaged her motor controls. Blood sputtered through her mouth in alarming quantities.

"You…" Daine struggled to get her words out. "are… my… good… son." She finally managed between coughs, her voice getting weaker with each word. The world was going black and she welcomed it. She could never argue that her life was anything less than fulfilling. However, it was finally time to be reunited with her lost lover. The one who unknowingly gave her the beautiful life she was leaving behind.

*********

In the Black God's Realm

Numair sat in his mother's house looking out over the pond and flowers of her estate. It was an exact replica of the house his family owned when he grew up, before they lost everything in a drought. When he died he came here, since he had no other attachments. Time seemed non existent here. A natural extension of existence without death or even aging. In fact one was whatever age they wanted to look like here. However, there were ways of keeping track of time in the world of the living. The Realms of the Black God were vast to say the least. There were cities where priests knew the year and basic happenings of the realm of the living.

However, without a spouse or children to look over Numair found no use for such knowledge. His parent's had been saddened to hear their only child left no legacy behind. Still, they were delighted to hear how much he had done for his country.

"Our son left his name in the history books. Perhaps that is more powerful than leaving a bloodline behind." His mother had said with a shaky smile. They welcomed him and never asked him to leave. Knowing he would be alone without them.

However, they worried over him. Numair had told them about Daine and how she should have been his. They also knew he thought of her constantly. Even now as he sat trying to let the peaceful scenery relax him her face was on his mind.

"Numair?" His mother's serene tone took him off guard, causing him to jump a little in his seat. He turned around to look into her hazel eyes finding they were burning with a joy he couldn't figure out.

"Hmm?" He muttered regaining his composure.

"There is a young woman at the door. She wants to see you." His mother's voice failed to hide her excitement. Confused, Numair decided he should see who it was.

"I'll be right there." He sighed as he began to make his way to their front door. However, nothing prepared him for the sight that greeted him behind the huge ebony doors. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

"Hi?" Her timid voice questioned as a smile broke out across her nervous face. Her curly hair bounced merrily around her shoulders while her blue-gray eyes danced with excitement. She wore a simple clean white linen shirt with brown breeches that clung seductively to her thighs.

"Daine?" His voice squeaked out, almost afraid she would vanish. Without warning tears began to leak from her eyes. She closed the small distance between them and flung her arms around his neck.

"Is this really happening? Are you really here?" She asked between sobs of joy. His arms found their way around her and stroked her back.

"Yes magelet, I'm here." He buried his nose in the top of her head, taking in her spicy sweet sent. Suddenly he pulled away, his hands moved to the side of her face and forced her to look at him.

"How much time has passed?" He asked wondering how long she had lived.

"Sixty years." She said stepping away from his hands and looking over her body. "A few moments ago I was wrinkly old woman!" She exclaimed with a smile. A sigh of relief passed over him knowing she never hurt herself over him. "You look younger too." She said with a smile. Numair blushed, he had chosen his mid twenties for his body.

"Sixty years?" Numair said with wonder. Then a pang hit his heart. Surly she must have moved on, married and had a family. He had no idea of what his place really was with her anymore. But then why was she here and not with her family?

"I've got so much to tell you!" The jovial atmosphere she was creating was more than contagious. "I've been waiting so long!" Again tears of joy suddenly slipped out of the corners of her eyes. With a cautious sigh Numair stepped back a little.

"Please tell me you didn't spend your entire life waiting for me?" His sad tone momentarily caught her off guard. However, her smile never faltered. One of her hands came up to cup his cheek.

"You think I spent my whole life alone and miserable. Believing somehow that moving on would break your memory." She asked with a slightly cocky smile. In turn he smiled as well, perhaps he didn't have to haunt Alanna after all.

"I was afraid you'd never marry or have a family." He said quietly, the idea of another man in her bed still boiled his blood.

"I never married, but I did have a son." She said while watching his reaction. She almost laughed as his expression suddenly turned angry.

"Who hurt you?" Numair asked with a little more force than he intended. This new outcome was one he never considered. That some man would hurt his magelet, leaving her alone and pregnant. However, she only rolled her eyes and laughed.

"He hurt me, but I forgave him a long time ago. It wasn't his fault." Now she knew she was only toying with him. But she found it too fun to stop. She watched his brows knot in confusion trying to figure out what had happened. He felt her arms once again snake around his neck. Her face came within inches of his, looking deeply into his eyes.

"I never married, because my son's father died." She said unable to conceal the sadness the simple fact caused her. It took Numair a few moments to put things together in his head. Suddenly his brows relaxed, leaving a shocked expression. Daine stood up on her tip toes, giving him a soft kiss.

"Please don't haunt Alanna, she really tried." Daine said with a soft smile. "But, like my Ma, I considered myself taken."

"I…" Numair couldn't conceive of the words. This shook everything he believed since he died off its foundation.

"You have a son." Daine said carefully watching his expression as joy, sadness and wonderment all collided in sweet cacophony. "I'm so sorry… I was stubborn and didn't want to tell anyone till it was too late. But I paid for it, all these years knowing what you didn't." Numair's body began to tremble a little and she guided him to a small porch bench just beside the doorway. After a few moments Numair composed himself.

"Tell me more." He pleaded and was rewarded with the brightest smile he'd ever seen.

"It was hard at first. In the beginning I felt so alone." Her voice was slightly sad as she remembered those years. "But he, Rikash, was always so full of happiness and love. I couldn't stay locked inside myself, not with him around." The boy's name made the corners of Numair's mouth turn upward.

"Rikash isn't too far from here. You'll have to tell him you named a kid after him." The joy that was now exuding from Numair was undeniable.

"I will." She smiled. "Our boy grew up well. He even became a black robe." Daine watched as pride sparkled in her lover's eyes. "Before I died he threatened to turn you into a tree if you don't take care of me." That earned a small chuckle.

"I wish I could have seen him grow up." Numair said as a knife pierced his chest. "If I had just visited one of the priests… I just felt like it would be disrespectful." Daine looked at him with confusion. "There are priests here. They know what's going on with the living. I could have found out about you and our son..."

"It's all right." Daine soothed him with a hand on his back. "We'll have to go visit one. You can check up on our granddaughters with me." She said with a coy smile. Numair looked up at her overwhelmed.

"I've missed a lot." He said warily as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"But we've got eternity to make up for everything that was taken from us." Daine said with a smile.

"For now, I just want you to be my Magelet." He said with a twinkle in his eyes. He wanted to know everything about his family, but for the moment he needed her more.

"I'd like that." She said simply as his mouth crashed over hers.

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Finished! I hope you liked it. It was a happy ending, did you doubt me?

Anyway, please review :)


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